Unmanned Experts (UMEX) and Cyberhawk Innovations have teamed up to target the unmanned critical infrastructure inspection market in the US, the companies announced on 31 August.
Colorado-based UMEX and UK-based Cyberhawk Innovations are looking to tap demand from utility and power companies for regular, comprehensive surveys of their electricity transmission and distribution towers, sub-stations, coal and gas fired power plants, and renewable assets such as wind turbines and solar panels.
With commercial drone operations in the US now legal under the FAA Section 333 exemption, the team will apply Cyberhawk’s proven UAS operating process and iHawk asset management software to the US market.
Clients will have access to drone-captured data converted into asset management information via the iHawk software suite. They will benefit from intuitive, map-based, visual and consistent inspection reporting that features photographic evidence behind each defect classification.
Keven Gambold, CEO, UMEX, said: ‘UMEX and Cyberhawk have a close relationship and we are pleased to have formalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will bring a step-change in capability to the American critical infrastructure inspection market.
‘As the adoption of drones becomes more commonplace, this partnership provides experienced operators with a tremendous safety record and cutting-edge data management tools to this vital area.’
Under the MoU, training, equipment and procedures have been exchanged to begin operations in the coming weeks. UMEX has already been selected as a utility vendor for one major utility company and more demonstration flights and pilot programmes are planned.
Craig Roberts, CEO, Cyberhawk said: ‘It is positive to see that the US is moving in the same direction as the UK and Europe, where UAS inspection has become best practice in many industries over the last few years. I consider the MoU with UMEX to be a significant step towards making this happen.’
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